Activating Your Listening Skills

By
Stephen Rex Goode

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My morning routine consists of waking up at 3:40 AM and heading to the gym. I take with me my cell phone and a large Bluetooth headset. After swimming, I take my headset out of my gym bag and set it on the bench next to me. After getting dressed, I hang it from my shirt collar and leave.

A couple of weeks ago, I did this routine, but instead of hanging the headset from my shirt collar, I absentmindedly left it on the bench. When I got to work and looked for it, I realized my mistake, except that I thought I left it at the snack bar where I got a protein shake for the trip to work. The worker looked for it on the counter and couldn’t find it. She suggested I call back later and ask the front counter people if it had been turned in as lost-and-found.

That’s what I did. I started out by asking if a Bluetooth headset had been turned in. While I was trying to describe my headset, the person on the other end of the phone was talking about walking over to the lost-and-found shelves. He said he didn’t see it. I tried again to tell him that it was not the little ear-bud kind of Bluetooth. It was big enough to fit over my head with a microphone that extends. I was pretty sure he hadn’t heard me say that part and had told me to call back later and again over the weekend. I called back later that day and then twice on the weekend. Each time, the person answering the phone told me they didn’t see it and it seemed to me that they were tuning me out every time I tried to tell them it was going to be big and obvious with a camouflage coloring.

That next Monday morning, I asked the early morning person at the counter to look for it. She opened up the drawer and there it was. (more…)

Copyright 2019, Inner Vessel Productions.

Moving into Lincoln City

By
Stephen Rex Goode

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When we started our company, we were really only thinking about the Portland Metro area. It’s where we live and we have spent a long time figuring out just how to operate. We’re still figuring it out, but we’re learning a lot and smoothing out the rough edges.

We’ve had awesome direct support professionals in the Portland area. One of those awesome people is Ronda Gaughan. Several month ago, she expressed her regret that she needed to move to the Lincoln City area for personal reasons. (more…)

Copyright 2019, Inner Vessel Productions.

Come Join Our Team

By
Stephen Rex Goode

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Today is an important milestone for our company. It isn’t measured in anniversaries, dollars, or the size of our company. It represents why we love doing what we’re doing, and unfortunately, for confidentiality’s sake, I can’t give you details. I’ll refer to our customer as Paul, though that is not his real name. As with all of our customers, Paul has a developmental disability that means that he requires support in various areas of his life and we provide that support.

I first met Paul many years ago as an independent contractor, doing this work. At the time, ARISE Mentors did not exist. My dear friend, Drew Stinson, and I were both in this field, and we were referred to as skills trainers. Our job was to assist our customers learn how to do things like housekeeping, laundry, money management, cooking, nutrition, safety, social skills, communication, accessing medical care, using community resources, and participating in community activities.

Some of you who do not have disabilities may take doing these things for granted. Without the support we provide, many of our customers would sit alone in their homes, if they have homes, or be out in the community and encountering problems they are not equipt to manage alone. Many lack the communication skills to express their needs or understand the advice they are given. Many are targets for people who would take their money, dignity, and freedom. (more…)

Copyright 2019, Inner Vessel Productions.

A Day in the Life of An ARISE Mentors Employee

By
Stephen Rex Goode

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We hire personal support workers for adults with developmental disabilities who are looking to learn skills and reach new levels of independence. Days with clients are filled with learning, support, and fun. If you are looking for an opportunity to make a difference in the life of some of the greatest people in the world, read on. (more…)

Copyright 2019, Inner Vessel Productions.

By
Stephen Rex Goode

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We are ARISE Mentors, LLP. We are a provider organization in the developmental disabilities system of the State of Oregon.

We provide personal support to developmentally disabled adults in the areas of independent living and inclusion in the community. We provide these supports in the form of skills training, providing cues to help individuals practice skills, and stand-by support while individuals try to put their learning into practice.

What supports a customer receives will depend on a set of goals written in conjunction with a personal agent or case manager. These are based on the customer’s interests and needs.

More concretely, this could include anything from grocery shopping to assistance with community resources such as doctors and government agencies. It could also include social activities and developing relationships. It might involve helping customers find safe and affordable housing.

We support customers in expressive and receptive communication. That’s a fancy way of saying that we help customers learn how to express themselves to be understood as well as to understand what others are trying to say to them.

Our directors have about 25 years of combined experience in the field. Our employees will be well-supervised, well-trained, friendly, and effective.

Feel free to contact us and ask questions.

Copyright 2019, Inner Vessel Productions.

By
Stephen Rex Goode

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As of today, we are at the stage of enrolling with the state of Oregon as a Medicaid provider. In order to complete this step, we have sought insurance quotes so that we can obtain the mandatory levels and kinds of insurance required.

We hope that it will not take much longer. Until this step is done, we aren’t hiring or accepting clients. Stay tuned for more. We will accept applications. Download one at our Employment Page.